Nothing is Black and White
by BlackTom
Summary: AU. Rogue has been living with her foster mother, Mystique, for sometime and is finally allowed to join the Brotherhood. There will be lots of Romy in later chapters
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men. Enjoy.  
  
The rain drummed against the windowpane, maintaining a steady beat. It was a cool day outside and the air was brisk. It had had been pouring rain all day and there was no sign of the dreary weather relenting. The neon lights and signboards reflected a dazzling array of color on the wet pavement. People scuttled about in raincoats and clutching umbrellas on the street below, hurriedly catching cabs and sprinting into the stores that lined the avenue. It was late in the afternoon; most people were heading home from work or finishing up their shopping before going home to their families and warm dinners to compensate for the chilly, miserable weather.  
  
She became conscious of her reflection in the glass as she stared out the window, focusing on her beautiful green eyes, blazing like brilliant emeralds. She always liked her eyes; she had always received compliments on them, in addition to the rest of her features. Boys were always telling her she was gorgeous, but she certainly didn't feel gorgeous. She had never even had a boyfriend. She hadn't even touched a boy or anyone for that matter, for almost as long as she could remember.  
  
No longer paying attention to the people on the street, lost in their own little agendas, she studied her face in the reflection. She ran her fingers from the edge of her big, seductive eyes to her cute, slightly upturned nose, then traced her lips. She had a beautiful smile when she chose to grace the world with it, which wasn't often. She gently stroked her thick, mahogany colored hair. It was somewhat untamed, but looked pretty nonetheless. She stroked her hair to where it ended just above her shoulders. Thoughtlessly, she proceeded to twirl the white strands of hair that sprouted from the top of her forehead and blended with the rest of her hair around her finger. Her bangs had been white ever since the incident long ago.  
  
She sighed.  
  
"Sometimes ah swear ah could contrahl tha weather. Lovely, how it reflects mah mood today, perfectly," she said to herself breathily.  
  
Depressed. Bitter. Emotions that often plagued her thoughts and attitude. Distant: could quite accurately describe her. She had never had a real childhood, constantly moving to different foster homes. Then she found her; right after the incident. She had been alone, in tears, and horrifyingly confused in her- no his room. She had thought that she actually was him. She couldn't understand why her, his, parents were screaming at her and acted like they didn't recognize her.  
  
A bitter chuckle escaped her lips.  
  
Yes, she would always remember her first kiss. She had only been nine, and had left her unfortunate kisser crumpled in the shade of that big oak tree in Caldecott County, Mississippi, unconscious. The boy fell into a coma, and never did wake up. As for her, she was left traumatized and tormented by guilt. The moment he broke from their kiss and fell onto the grass, she had believed for several hours that she was him. Not from trauma, but she had stolen from him. She had stolen his most intimate possession that no one had the right to take; his memory. She knew all his thoughts; she even knew where he stashed his coveted pornographic magazine between his mattresses.  
  
She had been intoxicated with his thoughts. His thoughts, his memories, were all jumbled and mixed in with her own for hours. As her mind began to clear somewhat, it was then she knew that she was one of them. A freak. A mutant, like the few that she had heard of surfacing throughout the country upon puberty. She had come to save her and whisk her away while she had sought refuge in the boy, Cody's room.  
  
The woman was very much like a mother to her. Or she had at least been the most like a mother to her than anyone else had. Over time, she had developed a strong bond with her mama, but her childhood was still never normal. Her mama was a mutant too, with the ability to rearrange her atoms, changing her physical appearance into looking like anyone or any living animal of moderate size. She could even mimic a person's voice. All she needed was to hear someone speak ten syllables and she could mimic their voice flawlessly. A perfect spy. She led an underground organization of mutants. Though, she didn't know the name of her organization nor was she allowed to be any part of it. Her mother had told her she could participate when she deemed her ready. She had to undergo rigorous training twice a day and once at night.  
  
Most of her training was spent sparring other mutants. Her mother wanted her to have no association with her organization, so she was always forced to wear a black, full body spandex suit, masking her face so they would never be able to recognize her in public. During the day, she was only allowed to use her natural abilities of strength, agility, resourcefulness, and the martial arts that she practiced everyday. The use of her power was prohibited.  
  
Her mother had explained that because she had no real offensive power and any power she absorbed was only temporary, she couldn't rely on always finding a chance to put down her opponent with her touch and steal their mutant abilities if they had any. Consequently, during her day training, she often took a harsh beating. Her opponents were instructed to hold back, and not to hit once she was down, but they could still use their powers. Though, she had been improving so much, becoming very lethal with her trained acrobatic abilities and martial arts, that they were beginning not to hold back very much.  
  
At night, the training sessions were incredibly intense. She was allowed to use her powers and there were no holds barred. The fight wasn't over until someone was left unconscious. Her mother was extremely hard on her during training, screaming commands and vehemently yelling her mistakes at her. She knew that she did it because she loved her and didn't want to see her seriously hurt, ever. She asked her mother occasionally what it was that they were training for and she would be met with a grim face.  
  
She had explained that they must be vicious and act as terrorists to humanity, because humanity threatened them. They would never be accepted by the majority, but only be hunted and persecuted. So it was their duty to fight back for their right. . . to exist. That's exactly what she had been training for the past eight years now, and the belief she held to while she sparred. She had absorbed several people's memories and other mutants' abilities temporarily since then, out of necessity, during her nightly training sessions. Though, she only made contact for a few seconds, never as long as with Cody. Their presence in her mind has never been as strong as his; though the vague memories did still linger with her, as well as Cody's mind, locked in the depths of her own. Yet, on occasion, the memories, the voices, thoughts, did escape and overwhelm her. It had happened just last night.  
  
"Rogue," came a commanding, but feminine voice behind her.  
  
The girl jumped, a bit startled by the unexpected summon. She hadn't heard the door to her room open, or the usual creak on that one stubborn floorboard just past the doorway. Mystique had a habit of doing that though; it was amazing how stealthily she could move about, even unintentionally.  
  
"Please come to my office. I need to speak with you."  
  
"Yes Mama."  
  
Mystique, it was still strange thought to her; imagining the woman that had taken her in eight years ago, Raven Darkholme, the prim and proper business woman being the mutant leader of some secret organization for mutants. She hadn't known about any of it, not even that Raven was simply an alias of hers, until exactly two years ago on her fifteenth birthday. That was when Raven had shown her true form and identity, revealed her powers and allegiance. That was also when the training began. All that training for this day.  
  
Today, was Rogue's seventeenth birthday and it had been a nice one at that. Instead of doing her usual studies and training, they had done something much different; they went shopping and ate at her favorite restaurant, a small but elegant and serene sushi bar, Miyako's. It had made the day actually seem like a typical day in a normal girl's life, and that was the best birthday present she could have gotten.  
  
They had gone shopping briefly at the mall. Rogue didn't like crowds at all, it made her very uncomfortable and for good reason. It would be all too easy for someone to accidentally get too close, brush up beside her, and then fall unconscious. Then the rush of thoughts and memories would begin and overwhelm Rogue. It was for that same reason that she didn't attend public school. Raven had insisted that the crowded school that she was now a principal at was too dangerous for her. She needed more control, and had insisted that she be home schooled.  
  
They had gone into one large department store, walking back out with a box and bags containing a pair of calf length, black leather boots, a black mini skirt with a slit, and a black pair of jeans. As they walked to a specialty clothing store across the mall, she had noticed Raven looking at her with a smirk. She was wearing a worn pair of tight black jeans that sported several holes and worn ends, that hugged her figure, showing the curve of her thighs, her well shaped buttocks, and her narrow waist. A thick black belt studded with silver metal rested loosely on one hip and hung down to the beginning of her left thigh; it wasn't even in the belt loops. She adorned a long sleeve black shirt that stopped just short of her midriff, exposing the belly ring she sported, that complimented her firm and defined abs.  
  
Her emerald green eyes were lined with dark eye liner, and other than her purple eye shadow and mascara, she wore no make up. She really didn't need any at all, but she loved the dark look it brought to her features. She absently fiddled with the stud pierced through her bottom lip until she noticed Raven staring at her necklace. She looked up at her and smiled. Rogue's face brightened and she returned the smile as she clutched the silver chain. On the end of the chain it bore a pendant with a dazzling, green emerald. Mystique had given it to her that morning for her birthday, telling her that it was dulled in beauty compared to her eyes, but it complimented them nonetheless.  
  
They came to the store Rogue had been directing them towards, Raven stood outside and released a sigh as Rogue walked inside. Raven didn't necessarily approve of Rogue's apparel, but she didn't hassle her about it. She liked that she was independent and thought for herself. She had told her that several times and that those were good qualities to possess. Rogue walked back out of the gothic attire store with a pair of black bondage pants and that had concluded their shopping trip.  
  
Rogue snapped back to the present, hurriedly walked out the door and followed Mystique. Rogue was eager to hear everything she had to say. She knew the day had finally come, the day that she would be allowed to join the other mutants. All that training would finally come to use and she was determined to prove that she was a great asset to the team and not disappoint her mother. 


	2. Unexpected and Disappointed

A/N: Special thanks to those who reviewed. RoguesHeart, Samantha, Syd, ishandahalf, willa. j, Krac, blink182dbzluver, Sarah-Crysala, chris, ~*~, hipkid727.  
  
ishandahalf: I'm glad you like seeing them on the same side.  
  
~*~: I was 9 once :P  
  
hipkid727: The first chapter was more of a background chapter. This chapter has more talking.  
  
A/N: Sorry for the delay. Exams and such have kept me behind. But my last exam is tomorrow, so I will have much more time after that.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. Enjoy.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Rogue stared at Raven in disbelief. Her eyes squinted and her lips twisted in a scowl, anger and frustration pulsed through every vein in her body, but at the same time she wanted to cry. This certainly wasn't what Rogue had expected at all. All that strenuous training for. . . this?  
  
They were standing in the middle of a large, elegantly decorated office. The office, like most of the 10th floor penthouse they resided in, was lavished with Victorian and Chippendale furniture. The walls boasted several large paintings. One painting, nearest a large double-paned window with royal purple drapes, was a Rembrandt Rogue herself had helped pick out.  
  
Rogue stood in the middle of the ornamented room, a large Istanbul floral rug with intricate Turkish designs was stretched across the polished floor beneath her feet. Her whole body was tensed and her jaw clenched as she glared at Raven, who was now leaning back against her antique, Chippendale carved mahogany block front desk, bracing herself with her elbows.  
  
However, this wasn't Raven she was looking at; it was Mystique. Despite the fact she looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, she had an eerie beauty to her. Her entire body was a cerulean blue, embellished with natural designs and studs that protruded from her skin. Her hair was a vivid red, and her eyes glowed amber. No matter her appearance, she would always be Raven to her; her mother.  
  
"Why?! Ah thought ya said Ah would be ready to join once Ah turned seventeen?" She pleaded, "You promised!."  
  
"Anna, . . ."  
  
Her ears reddened at the use of her name. She hated that name; Raven only used it when she was either furious with her or consoling her. It had been the name her last foster parents had given her before the incident with Cody. She had been genuinely happy those few precious months with them. Sure, she had been somewhat distant with them, but she was just getting to know them, she was already nine and was becoming uncomfortable with new families since she had been brought back to the orphanage so many times.  
  
That name, she wanted to forget that it was ever associated with her. It brought back the memories of the bright, golden fields by the river, the giant oak tree she had played underneath, and of Cody and the pain. . . the life she had ruined.  
  
"Ah hate that name, Raven. And ya know it. Ah only go by Rogue now," she lowered her head in shame and bit her lip as the last sentence left her lips.  
  
"Then you can start calling me Mystique, Rogue."  
  
Rogue looked up at her. Her lips were pursed together and she could have sworn that if she wasn't in her true form, her cheeks would have been flushed. She met her glistening amber eyes and noticed that they had glazed over. She had hurt her. She hadn't meant to, but she really did despise that name. Her toned hadn't helped, but she was so frustrated with the news Raven had given her she couldn't help that either.  
  
"Anyways, if we can put the petty issue of names aside for the moment. . . I didn't say you wouldn't be a part of the Brotherhood. I said -"  
  
Rogue cut her off, "The Brotherhood?"  
  
Raven suppressed a smile, "Yes, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The team that you ARE going to be a part of."  
  
Rogue's brow furrowed at the mention of the name. She looked at Raven puzzled. "Evil? Evil mutants?" She raised an eyebrow.  
  
Raven laughed, "Don't take it so literally, dear. You're smarter than that."  
  
"So, it's meant to be ironic then? Since, people hate us."  
  
"Exactly," she grinned.  
  
Rogue still had a look of bewilderment and shifted her posture, plainly uncomfortable with the name.  
  
"But ya said, Ah can't associate with any of them."  
  
"Right. Rogue, your powers have limitless possibilities. Your power is a valuable asset for obtaining intel. You will make a great spy, like me." Mystique ranted, "You will meet with the other members of the Brotherhood and be briefed with them, just not in public. Any association with them in public could blow your cover."  
  
Rogue pondered the concept for a minute. Her? A spy? She had to admit to herself that it did sound exciting. She religiously watched the spy drama, Alias, on TV every week; it was her favorite. Perhaps, she thought to herself, it would be like that. She hated the idea of touching someone to drain their memory just to get information, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Her mood lifted a little.  
  
She looked up at Raven, with a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "So. . . what's mah first assignment?"  
  
Raven's face lit up at her response. She loved her eagerness. "I've enrolled you in Bayville High as Anna Raven."  
  
"That's mah assignment?! What kind of intel will Ah be gathering there? The latest gossip on which cheerleader slept with who? Ah don't think it'll take a spy to figure out that," she retorted, every word dripping with sarcasm.  
  
Raven chuckled and a smirk swept across her face. Rogue's wit and sarcasm reminded her so much of herself when she dealt with her own handlers.  
  
"If you let me finish, I will tell you. Obviously, there are many mutants out there besides just the ones in our organization. There is another faction of mutants, who call themselves the 'X-Men'."  
  
"Oh great, another group with a lame name. Where do these names come from? Comics?" commented Rogue dryly.  
  
Raven just smiled and continued, "The X-Men is a government organization, targeted specifically to counteract any move we make. They are dangerous and a high risk to our cause. They consist mostly of teenagers your age, who also attend Bayville. Your assignment is to learn everything you can about them, get close to them but not too close. Don't make it obvious."  
  
"Wonderful. So, ah get to play the role of the weird and distant stalker."  
  
"I think weird and distant already accurately describe you." Raven stuck out her tongue playfully to lighten the mood.  
  
"Just because ya don't like the way ah dress!" Rogue threw her hands up in the air, exasperated.  
  
"I just wish you had a sense of fashion. I'm still waiting for you to grow out of your 'awkward phase.'"  
  
She feigned hurt. "Ya hurt mah feelings," she pouted as she stuck out her bottom lip and widened her already large eyes to make her puppy dog face.  
  
"Ugh, I've raised a softie; and here I thought you were tough." Raven rolled her eyes.  
  
Rogue was about to respond, when she suddenly paused and stopped to think. Raven noticed the sudden shift in mood, observing that she seemed to be deep in thought.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"Ya said you wanted meh to get close, but not too close. Ya don't want meh tah use mah powers? I thought ya said that they're a vital tool for getting intel."  
  
"Right. I don't want you using your powers at school or anywhere during the day. Especially, do not use your power around the X-Men, they don't need to know you're a mutant. Not yet."  
  
"But why would it matter?" she pressed.  
  
Raven paused for a moment, she shifted her glance away from her. She was thinking, obviously choosing how to word her response. Raven was holding back something. She couldn't tell what, but she didn't want to press much further. Raven didn't like being questioned beyond what she wanted to reveal.  
  
"Their leader is an extremely powerful telepath. He has a machine, he calls it cerebro, and when hooked up to it, he can track all mutants- most mutants anyway. I, myself, have set up a very strong mental block and he can't get into my head," she gloated with pride, tapping an index finger against her left temple. "Fortunately, he can't just recognize a mutant he is unfamiliar with automatically. He is only alerted to new mutants when they use their powers and when he is using cerebro. That is the main reason why I only allowed you to use your power during your nightly training sessions. They were so late, I seriously doubted he would be using it then."  
  
"He actively recruits new additions to his team and when he gets word of you, he will undoubtedly be very anxious to get a hold of you," she explained.  
  
"Ahh. . . so that explains a lot, ah guess. So, uhm, when do Ah get to meet the other members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants?" She emphasized the 'Evil', making it apparent she was still uncomfortable with the name.  
  
Usually Raven would have a witty or sarcastic retort for Rogue's mockery, but instead a scowl spread across her face. "Actually, they should be here already," she sighed in disgust.  
  
With almost deliberate timing, there was a loud pounding at the door to the office. Raven briskly walked to the door and swung it open, glaring at the five teens cowering back from the door at the sight of her menacing figure.  
  
"Where the hell have you been?!" She vehemently hissed, "You're ten minutes late! I told you I wanted you here at precisely 8:00pm and no later! This is important!"  
  
Rogue was slightly taken back. She had never seen her so worked up over something as petty as tardiness. She had been screamed at like that during training, but not for anything else. She would only be scolded for such an offense, but thinking it over more she realized she hadn't really been out of line in quite some time. Raven had made her learn to be very responsible.  
  
A young man, that looked possibly a year older than her, stepped forward from the cowering group. She had seen him before during training; she had sparred him several times. He had been her favorite partner. He was challenging, but not so tough that she felt helpless. It didn't hurt that he was cute too.  
  
His face was very boyish, with his thick, shaggy brown hair that was uncombed and amassed over his forehead. He had puppy dog brown eyes that sparkled and just made you want to run your hands through his thick hair. His body was a direct contrast to his facial features; there was nothing boyish about it. He had a thick chest and his lats were visible giving his body a sexy 'v' shape from his broad shoulders to his thick but lean waist.  
  
He was wearing a plain white shirt that looked tight on his well built body, making his bulging biceps look even bigger than they really were. He wore a simple pair of baggy, worn blue jeans and a pair of what looked like were once white and blue tennis shoes, but now crusted with brown and the blue faded to a dark grey.  
  
He spoke up, "Sorry, Mystique. Boom Boom took forever in the bathroom doing her make-up or whatever she does in there, and Fred really had to go. So, once she got out he needed his time in there and that can take a while." He pointed at a huge, obese but muscular boy in the back, who simply smiled and stared blankly into space.  
  
Raven looked like she was about to explode, Rogue noticed a vein faintly pulsating furiously in her forehead. Rogue's eyes widened, and she wrinkled her own nose in disgust at the thought of the huge guy doing his business. Rogue noticed the blond girl standing amidst the boys, the only girl in the group, and figured she must be Boom Boom.  
  
She had wispy, golden blond hair that ran down to her shoulders and fanned out at the ends. She had a punk look to her, and Rogue guessed she had a huge wild streak. She could imagine herself getting along with her. She had sky blue eyes and thin, red lips. Her make-up was applied thickly to her face, a little too thick. Her clothing was casual: a pink holster top that boasted her well-endowed figure and a pair of tight jeans that flared at the bottoms.  
  
Boom Boom spat, " I wasn't applying make-up, you dumbass! I was taking care of personal hygiene."  
  
Rogue nearly cracked a rib trying to suppress her laughter. She couldn't believe the girl would so blatantly talk about that in front of everyone, especially all the guys.  
  
Raven quickly broke the awkward silence that followed the girl's comment. "Tabitha! I already abhor you. Don't give me a reason to get rid of you and don't make my team late again."  
  
"Yo!" Came a voice from the back, as the speaker, a short and scrawny boy, leaped in front of the group. "What's abhor mean- oooh! Who's the babe, yo?"  
  
Rogue was taken back by the odd-looking boy's abrasive behavior, especially when it dawned on her that he was referring to her. The thought of him finding her attractive almost made her want to gag. He wasn't very kind on the eyes - in fact, he was gruesome. She wondered if his power was the cause of his repulsive features. Rogue shook her head, dismissing her thoughts and mentally kicking herself. She had no right to be so harsh on anyone, especially not something as shallow as appearance. At least he could touch - if anyone was actually willing.  
  
"This 'babe' is my daughter, who will be joining our team. If you even so much as touch her, I won't even think twice about killing you, not that you wouldn't immediately fall unconscious anyway." Raven smirked, "Some of you, Avalanche and Quicksilver, might recognize her better if she was wearing her black sparring suit. I believe she has been kicking your pathetic hide in combat for several months now, Avalanche."  
  
The cute boy stared at Rogue in shock, his face slowly falling into a grimace. She simply blushed at Raven's comment. She then noticed the last member of the group gaping at her. If she thought the brown haired boy was cute, this young man was a god. He actually did resemble a Greek god in her opinion. He had tantalizingly good looks. His toned figure stood perfectly upright. She recognized him as another of her sparring partners. He had been her most challenging opponent; he was quick, preternaturally fast.  
  
He usually wore a smug look on his handsome face. He was overly confident. His cockiness was the only reason that she was able to defeat him during their nightly sessions. His hair was ice white and seemed to be perfectly slicked back, coming into two points on both sides of the back of his head. His eyes were frosty blue and could seemingly pierce her soul. His lips were thin and definite. She wanted to kiss them, wrap her arms around his fit body and stroke his beautiful icy hair.  
  
Her eyes suddenly widened, and her cheeks quickly blushed crimson as she pulled herself from her thoughts. She mentally scratched out those last thoughts and scolded herself for even thinking of intimately touching someone. She would never be able to do that, and she needn't even bother fantasizing about it.  
  
Raven was talking, but she hadn't been paying attention to what she had said. She tried to catch up.  
  
"-she will act as a spy, and engage in espionage to gather information we need. So, the X-men do not need to be aware of any association between her and us. You understand that means you will not have anything to do with her at school or anywhere public? Don't talk to her, don't look at her, just ignore her. Understood?"  
  
The five teens nodded their heads solemnly, or it looked like Fred was nodding; it was hard to tell. He grunted and that was enough for the others to acknowledge that he understood.  
  
"Good, now go back to the house and get some sleep. You need to be in my school office early in the morning, 7am. We have a meeting with several of your teachers, because they have been complaining about your behavior. Do not be late. Now go," Raven snarled.  
  
They each exchanged glances and started for the door. Avalanche and Quicksilver glanced awkwardly at Rogue as they strided out the door. As soon, as Fred had trudged through the doorway, Raven quickly made her way to the door and swung it shut.  
  
"Was that really necessary?" Rogue inquired.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You- you're so hostile with them."  
  
Raven sighed, "Rogue, with that group you have to be. I can be nice, you know that. I've never mistreated you."  
  
"But I'm your daughter." She said smugly.  
  
"Believe me, I was gentle with them once. They're a bunch of delinquents, they won't listen unless I'm threatening."  
  
Rogue let herself think on that comment. She pitied them. It couldn't be their fault if they were troublesome, society must have made them that way because of what they were. What she was.  
  
"You should get ready for bed. You have a big day tomorrow, first day at school," she said yawning.  
  
"How will Ah recognize the X-men?"  
  
"I'll be leaving early tomorrow. I have several meetings in the mornings, most of them pertaining to your teammates. I'll leave a folder with profiles on every known mutant affiliated with the X-men on the breakfast table. So be sure to wake up early enough to review it. School starts at 8:15."  
  
"Then, how will Ah get to school?" Rogue quickly asked.  
  
"You know how to get there?"  
  
"Well, ya, but-"  
  
"Then I'm sure you'll find a way," replied Raven with a smug look on her face. "Now I need to make some phone calls. Good night."  
  
With that, Raven walked by her. She tenderly laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed before leaving the room. Rogue sighed and trudged back to her own room.  
  
She immediately flopped down onto her poster bed and began to slide her clothes off, discarding them in a tiki style laundry basket. She wondered how she was expected to get to school in the morning. She couldn't believe Raven wasn't going to take her on her first day. The school was several miles from their apartment, too long to walk. She could take the bus, but she wasn't sure where to get off and the thought of getting lost and making her late on her first day terrified her.  
  
She pushed herself up off the bed and walked over to her dresser. The dresser was a mahogany, all wooden tiki dresser. It corresponded with the Islander theme of her room perfectly. While the rest of the penthouse was furnished by Raven and was mostly Victorian and Queen Anne, she was allowed to decorate her own room, thank god.  
  
She pulled out her favorite stretch satin nightie and slid into it. She quickly tied the halter-style ties and glanced at herself in the mirror. Not only did it feel comfortable, easing her into sleep, but it also looked astounding on her. It accented her slim and sultry figure excellently. She felt sexy when she wore it, and she needed the little confident boost tonight because of the big day ahead of her. She never planned on letting anyone see her in it, but she loved it nonetheless.  
  
She stretched herself out onto her bed and began to contemplate the events that transpired that night. She was incredibly disappointed with what she had been assigned to do. It didn't sound like much of a spy mission. She was frustrated with Raven too. She felt like she had been led on. Whether or not Raven said she was a part of the team, she certainly didn't feel like it.  
  
With those last thoughts, she drifted into an unrestful sleep.  
  
A/N: In XXM #35, Rogue goes by Anna Raven. That's where the name is from in case anyone is curious. 


	3. Getting to School

The crowded hallway was lined with sky blue lockers on both sides, kids filed in and out of classrooms, while others congregated in their little groups in various areas of the vicinity. She noticed a small group of preppy looking girls gathered around a locker giggling and pointing at the locker. She wanted to go and investigate, something was drawing all of her attention to the group, but she couldn't figure out why.  
  
She noticed a muffled voice escaping through the vents on the locker, followed by a banging noise. Had that group of girls locked someone in that locker? Rogue wanted to go and help, but found her feet rooted to the spot. She felt as if she was in a trance. She watched the girls, with a feeling of anger boiling in her. Suddenly, the strangest thing happened; a girl tumbled out of the locker. What made it so strange was the fact that the locker was still locked shut; the girl appeared to have fallen right through the door!  
  
"That's right," she heard one girl say. "We always knew she was a freak!"  
  
Another voice followed, "Katheryne Pryde was released from school for the remainder of the day, and was coincidentally withdrawn from the school the following day. In a statement, fro-"  
  
Rogue blinked.  
  
Everything was so blurry, but as her surroundings came into focus she realized she was no longer in the crowded hallway at school. She was staring at the tan ceiling of her room, the ceiling fan blowing cool air onto her face.  
  
A voice blared from the radio adjacent to her, ". . .decided to homeschool our daughter. She's very bright for her age, and a computer whiz; we didn't think the school offered a curriculum that could accommodate her appropriately. She was also having issues fitting in."  
  
Another voice began talking, but Rogue, having already sat up, reached over and turned the radio off. She thought for a moment, contemplating her dream.  
  
"The radio must've leaked intah mah dreams," she murmured groggily.  
  
She glanced at the time, it was almost ten minutes past seven.  
  
"Crap!" she groaned. "Ah have tah get ready, and ah haven't a clue how ahm gonna get tah school!"  
  
She threw her covers off and jumped out of bed quickly. She had already made the decision the previous night to wear her new bondage pants and boots for her first day. She hurriedly slipped out of her nighty, throwing it on her bed and dug through her drawers, grabbing her undergarments.  
  
She hopped into the luxurious, well-garnished kitchen, pulling up her pants on the way. A bowl of cereal and a pitcher of milk awaited her at the table, along with a manila folder. She quickly plopped down, poured the milk on her cereal, sloppily splashing milk on the table, and began eating while reviewing the contents of the folder.  
  
Each document in the folder was a neatly organized, one page profile of every known mutant with the X-Men, complete with pictures. The first profile was somewhat shocking. The first photo pictured a normal looking boy who looked like he had dyed his jet back hair blue. The second photo was what she found alarming. It showed a boy of the same height, same face structure, same hair color, but covered in dark blue fur that matched Raven's natural skin color. She also noted, the addition of a pointed tail.  
  
Was that his power? To turn into some sort of demon? After reading over a brief summary of him, she realized the first photo was only a mirage that some gizmo gifted him with. The second photo was his natural form. His ability, however, was teleportation.  
  
"How is cool is that?! Ahm really thinking someone up there don't like meh too much. Raven can shapeshift, some girl can go through walls, and fur ball here can teleport. Ah got shafted," she cried to herself.  
  
She quickly glanced through the other five profiles before sprinting to the bathroom to brush her teeth and apply her make up. She applied her deep purple eye shadow, along with her black eye liner and mascara. She didn't bother with lipstick, she was running out of time, and she never bothered with any other makeup.  
  
She grabbed her backpack, slung it over her left shoulder and headed towards the door. She stole one last glance at the clock, as she picked up her keys. She had fifteen minutes. There was no way she could make it in time taking the bus. Just then, she realized an envelope dangling from her keys.  
  
Furrowing her brow, she ripped it open and removed a key and small piece of paper, causing her to be even more perplexed. Upon reading the message that had been quickly scrawled on the paper, Rogue's jaw dropped.  
  
"Rogue, Here's one more b-day gift, also think of it as a gift of congratulations for the joining the team. I hope you like your new ride to school. You didn't really think I wouldn't take care of your transportation for your first day of school did you?  
  
Love you, Raven"  
  
Without even thinking Rogue ran out the door and punched the button for the elevator. She could hardly contain her excitement. Deciding, she couldn't wait any longer, she opted for the stairs, eagerly running down the steps at a full sprint.  
  
"How will ah know which car is mahne?" she wondered.  
  
Her question was immediately answered as she ran out of the stair well and exited the left wing of the apartments. Rogue could barely keep from drooling, as she howled with excitement. Standing before Rogue, right in front of the doors to the apartments, was a brand new, black, Suzuki; it was even complete with a matching helmet and motorcycle gloves.  
  
Rogue was doubly thankful for the gloves, as she had actually forgotten to put hers on during her hastiness and rush of excitement. She quickly pulled the gloves on and slid the helmet over head. She swung one leg over the bike and hopped on. She wore the biggest grin to ever grace her beautiful face when she fit the key into the ignition and revved the engine.  
  
With a feeling of pure bliss, she sped off into the dark, and foggy morning. As she sped past people, cars, and shops, the lights from the stores and headlights of cars reflected off the wet pavement. It was even her favorite kind of day: dark and rainy. Bayville High was only a few more blocks away, and the knot that had been gripping her stomach was loosened. She had started off to a great morning and couldn't imagine anything ruining her day.  
  
With the high school now in sight, rapidly growing larger in the distance, she began to mentally review the profiles of the students she had looked at. 


	4. First Day

I do not own the X-men. I forgot to put that on the last chapter, oops.  
  
A/N: This update is for you Crysala! :P I was impressed by how fast you reviewed, and I felt bad, because yeah, the last chapter was pretty short. The story is going to start picking up now. So, props to those of you that endeared the earlier chapters. The first chapter was to establish a background for the story, while the second was setting up the plot. The third chapter was mostly filler and advancing the storyline, establishing that Kitty hasn't joined the X-men yet (will she at all?), and Rogue got her bike.  
  
Anyway, without further ado. . .  
  
Nothing Is Black and White  
  
She cut the engine on her bike and a deep sigh escaped her lips. It was late in the fall, so although it was only 5:00pm, the sun was quickly descending upon the horizon and the sky had already adopted a watercolor array of orange and pink. With her helmet now tied to her backpack she threw her pack over her shoulder and trudged toward the stairwell.  
  
Rogue opened the door to find the dark penthouse exactly as she had left it. The apartment was cast into light shadow, only a few rays of the waning sunlight were visible through the heavy curtains of the large living room window. Rogue slowly made her way to the kitchen, not bothering to switch on the lights; her mood was very dark and preferred to be cast in darkness to accompany her mood. She grabbed a can of orange tea from the fridge. Her mood lightened a little and an expression of relaxation crossed her face as the sweet liquid slid down her throat.  
  
Orange tea was Raven's favorite, and so it had also become Rogue's. Raven actually bought the canned drinks in bulk as she had them specially imported from Singapore. You wouldn't find the delicious drink at any of the local stores in Bayville.  
  
After having spent a few weeks in Singapore on a covert assignment, Mystique had come to fall in love with the drink. Upon her arrival back in New York, she had scoured China Town for the heavenly drink, but with no success. So, she had begun having it imported specially. (A/N: Ya, I love heaven & earth orange tea. It was hard coping with the fact I couldn't find it in the states once I moved!)  
  
Noticing her bowl she had clumsily left by the sink, she took another gulp of her drink and warily walked over to the sink to wash it. Seeking some comfort and tranquility, she picked up her tea and walked over to the stereo, turning on some vocal trance, and walked out onto the large balcony that extended from the living room.  
  
The air was crisp and a slight breeze whipped some white strands of hair across her face. A soft, remorseful voice sang over a backdrop of electronic music just above a whisper as it played from the outside speakers. For the first time, Rogue fully realized just how alone she really was. She had never had any friends in her life. Hell, she had barely been around anyone her own age, and she had, she was fighting them.  
  
At that moment she realized she hated her life and cursed her very existence. She choked back tears as her eyes moistened and glistened in the remaining light. She wasn't going to let herself sob. She had worked hard toughening herself and wasn't about to grow soft. As much as she told herself that, a few rogue tears escaped and ran down her cheeks.  
  
The dreary weather from that morning had relented, and for once she was glad. The sky looked to be promising a beautiful sunset, and she had a perfect view from the 10th floor. It was just the view she needed to ease and nurture her aching emotions as she sunk into a lounge chair and reminisced on what was possibly the worst day of her entire life- not counting the day her curse surfaced of course, she bitterly thought.  
  
She swung open the doors, standing at the threshold of an ominous building she did not want to enter. Her earlier high spirits and boldness were rapidly diminishing. The chill morning air licked her neck, as the dull gray outdoors beckoned her to turn and run. Before her, there was a sea of people swarming all around the hall. Groups were scattered throughout her view, some laughing, others deep in discussion of the latest gossip, while others were buried in their lockers or fiddling with the combination locks.  
  
She immediately noticed red lockers lining the walls, adorned with red and black banners praising the football team. There were also several posters bashing freshman and praising seniors. Typical, she thought. Being a junior, she was glad her class seemed to be pretty neutral. Judging by the posters, she assumed the school colors were red and black. At least, she told herself, they had picked good colors.  
  
The girl forcefully crossed the threshold as if penetrating some invisible barrier. Her presence seemed immediately acknowledged by many of her peers, which was no doubt surprising. Rogue stood amongst the sea of forbidden flesh, with a striking presence. Her mahogany hair fell to her shoulders with her white bangs framing the sides of her face. A silver studded choker collar clung to her neck. Her deep emerald eyes shone like fire, accented by her violet eye shadow and black eyeliner. Her thick, pouty lips conflicted with her exotic look as one of a childish and confused innocence, despite the silver stud that pierced her lower lip.  
  
Her black high boots neatly laced and buckled up, but mostly covered by the tight, black bondage pants that hung low on her waist and were adorned with several straps, belts, and metal studs. A collared long-sleeved shirt buttoned to the very top, the color of midnight, hugged her figure and stopped just before the waistline of her pants. The emerald pendant she received as a birthday gift decorated her covered bosom. Of course, the black, biker gloves remained on her hands. She was a sight to reckon with, and one that would hardly go unnoticed.  
  
Aware of the attention she was receiving, she shifted her glance to the ground and chewed her lower lip. She fumbled for the schedule she had stuffed in her pocket, absently stroking some white strands of hair behind her ear.  
  
She uttered a sigh of disgust. Her first class was Calculus AP. How was she expected to work high-level math so early in the morning? She was definitely not a morning person. She made a mental note to herself to make it a habit of stopping by Starbucks on the way to school.  
  
While searching for her classroom, she also made an effort to scan for members of the X-men; she was going to need to befriend them to effectively learn anything about them. She didn't have much time before the tardy bell, so she didn't go out of her way looking for them. She did happen to catch the Brotherhood members standing around near one of the water fountains. They quickly averted their gaze as she passed them, just as they had been ordered to do. Her spirits sunk; she wasn't going to have anyone to talk to until she got acquainted with someone.  
  
Rogue walked into her class just as the bell started ringing. She was immediately greeted by stares as everyone's attention was fully shifted on her. Almost instantly, she heard giggling and whispers from a group of girls and two guys at the back of the classroom as they eyed her. Her cheeks flushed, no matter how hard she tried to fight it. She quickly took a seat at the front of the room and averted her gaze to the middle-aged woman at the front of the room.  
  
She heard someone murmur 'freak' and was followed by snickering and suppressed laughter.  
  
The older woman moved towards the center front of the room. The poor, gray-haired woman looked somewhat comical. Her long, denim skirt was blemished with chalky handprints where she had obviously wiped chalk from her hands after writing problems on the board.  
  
She diverted the class's attention from Rogue to herself, "Alright class, social time is over. You have plenty of time to talk between classes. Go ahead and open your books to chapter twelve, and get out your homework. There's no excuses for not having it done; you had all weekend to do it."  
  
"Oh!" She exclaimed, "How rude of me. I almost forgot to introduce our new student!"  
  
Rogue cringed. She was really hoping she wasn't going to have to suffer an introduction. The aura of her presence had already radiated to anyone in her proximity.  
  
"Class, this is Anna Raven, and she-"  
  
Rogue ears burned at the mention of her name, "Ah go by Rogue."  
  
Immediately, the class erupted with a roar of laughter. She slouched in her seat and absently traced pictures on her desk with her finger. Her face was scarlet. She had to admit, she had brought that on herself. She had never actually given that name to anyone her age before. The only people she ever associated with were acquaintances of her mother, who often used code names themselves.  
  
The laughter finally subsided and turned into groans as the teacher walked around collecting homework; many of the students didn't have it. As the teacher began her lecture, and focused her attention to drawing out problems on the board, Rogue scanned the classroom. A familiar redhead, sitting next to a broad, blonde guy and a light brown-haired girl, both who had been snickering at her, caught her attention. She recalled her name: Jean Gray.  
  
Her hair was a striking and captivating red. Rogue figured it had to have been dyed, doubting it was natural unless it was a manifestation of her powers. She sported a white, classy, long-sleeved Abercrombie shirt that exposed her navel, and wore a pastel pink vest over it. She wore hip hugging khakis that clung to her long and toned legs, which flared out at the bottoms.  
  
According to her bio, she possessed limited telepathy and telekinesis. The bio noted that the full extent of power she possessed was unknown; she would have to figure that out herself.  
  
"Great," she thought. "Ahm gonnah hafta watch what Ahm think'in bout. Best just pay ahtention to the lectshah."  
  
As if aware of her distress, the redhead looked at her with what looked to Rogue was a hint of suspicion. Rogue quickly diverted her gaze and watched the chalkboard, beginning to take notes. She was expected to do well with her school work too.  
  
The rest of her morning classes were a mirror of her first one. She was becoming numb to the constant barrage of snickering and insults. Sure, it chipped away at her self esteem, but she would never show it. She was too tough for that. She took the blunt force that besieged her and kept on going. Secretly, she wanted to crawl in a hole and die.  
  
The 'new girl' was quickly becoming the talk of the school. By lunch, the entire school had at least heard something about the freak. Already reserved in nature because of the lack of contact with other people she would have found it hard to make friends and open up, but with the way people viewed her image, it was going to be impossible. How was she going to befriend the X-men when she was already becoming an outcast?  
  
On the way to lunch, she decided to make a pit stop at the ladies room. She was not looking forward to the embarrassment of sitting alone in the crowded cafeteria. Entering the bathroom, she became aware of people talking inside. She stopped and eavesdropped on the conversation.  
  
"Have you seen that new girl? She is a total freak. She needs to go back to whatever cave she crawled out of. I mean, have you seen her pants?"  
  
Rogue's ears reddened and she bit her lip.  
  
"Yeah, Taryn. Her fashion style doesn't really fit in here. I feel bad for her though, you know? She's really an introverted person; I don't think she's been around a lot of people much. She's terrified."  
  
"How can you tell all that? You- you haven't actually spoken to her?! Jean?"  
  
"I, umm. . . I can just tell by her expressions. You know. . ."  
  
"Sometimes I wonder how you can read people so well; the girl is still a total freak," the girl sighed. "Anyways, we better hurry to lunch so we can get good seats next to the guys."  
  
"Right, let's go." Jean responded cheerily.  
  
Rogues eyes widened, and quickly backed out of the entrance, only to begin walking back in like she hadn't been there listening. The two girls walked out, guilty expressions covered their faces when they noticed Rogue walking in. Jean feigned a smile at her as she walked by.  
  
Rogue braced herself against the sink, leaning over it, looking in the mirror. She wanted to cry. No. There was no way she was going to let herself crack, especially over something so trivial. Her mascara would only run, drawing more criticism.  
  
She took a deep breath, preparing herself. With one last glance at the mirror, she put her barrier up and left to brave the cafeteria.  
  
She grimaced at the sight of the cafeteria. It looked as if it were purposely set up to mock people that had no friends. Most of the round, six person tables were littered throughout the inside of the cafeteria. Several more round tables were situated outside in the courtyard. She realized she'd probably be sitting all alone at one of those tables.  
  
The inside portion was already almost full, which suited her fine. She was quite happy to embrace the still gray sky and fresh air outside. She walked outside and flung her stuff on the farthest, empty table she could find, and pulled out her lunch.  
  
There was no way she was going to eat the school food. As a matter of fact, Raven had recommended her not too. Raven had always cautioned Rogue on a healthy diet and consequently, she had become almost obsessive about maintaining a good diet. She pulled out a tuna sandwich, seasoned only with mustard, that she had prepared the night before, along with an apple, and orange tea.  
  
As she ate, she looked around at her surroundings. She noticed Jean and her friend Taryn sit down at a table with two guys. She noted the boy next to Taryn was another member of the X-men. Picturing the profile she had read, she quietly thought aloud what she knew.  
  
"Scott Summers, named Cyclops. He possesses optic blasts that shoot from his eyes anytime his eyes are unprotected. Only ruby red lenses can shield his power."  
  
The strange, red shades he wore made him easy for her to recognize. Aside from the glasses, he had very strong and proper features. He reminded her of a pretty boy. His auburn hair was neatly combed and gelled. He was toned, but not real bulky. He wore a light blue turtleneck, with neat, ironed khakis, and matching belt and boots. She had to admit he was kind of cute. She smirked.  
  
The clamoring of trays on her table diverted her attention. A group of varsity jacket sporting girls hovered over her. She noticed the cheerleader patches all over their jackets.  
  
"Wonderful," she thought bitterly.  
  
"Do you mind?" one girl sneered.  
  
"You can't just hog this table all to yourself," she continued  
  
Another chimed in, "And there's six of us, so there's no room for you. Sorry."  
  
They all smiled at her with mock sweetness. Rogue got up, hanging her head in shame, muttering an apology, and walked away, leaving her trash on the table for them to clean up. She didn't feel like fighting with the jerks over something as trivial as a seat.  
  
Staring at the ground as she walked away, she tried to avoid eye contact with anyone. She could feel the stares she received, as she was sure people took notice of her humiliation at being ejected from her table. She took refuge by a shady, ash tree at the edge of the courtyard. She produced a notebook and pen from her backpack, pretending to be writing while she continued to survey the crowd.  
  
She observed that the blue, demon boy, who was now under his disguise, of course, had joined Jean's group and was standing up talking to them very animatedly. He seemed to be telling a joke; everyone laughed. Jean took notice of her and gave her a look of pity. Rogue quickly turned her glance away and fumed. She didn't need her pity.  
  
As she moved her gaze across the area, something caught her attention, or more like someone. Merely a few yards from where she was sitting she took notice of a ruggedly handsome young man. He had that 'bad boy' look written all over him. He had disheveled, wavy hair that was a rich, brown color. He was tall, dark, and handsome. He was tall in her opinion anyway; she was only 5'6". He looked to be a little over six foot.  
  
Even through his black collared shirt she could tell he was really muscular. His shoulders were broad and he boasted a thick chest. The sleeves were tight on his arms, his bulging biceps ripped with definition. She grinned at his direct violation of the dress code; he had a nice goatee growing on his chin. He had sex appeal written all over him.  
  
The thing that drew her attention the most, were his eyes. His deep brown eyes intrigued her. There was something different about them, but she couldn't place what. She fantasized of being in his warm and muscular embrace. She wanted to trace his firm chest and six pack. She wanted him to hold her and whisper sweet nothings into her ear.  
  
Then she took notice of the girls that surrounded him, gawking over him. He seemed to be enjoying his attention and was obviously used to it. He seemed overly confident. A flirtatious grin played at his lips. She sighed in disgust.  
  
"Of course," she muttered. "He would be a playah." With that, she completely lost interest in him.  
  
The presence of someone standing directly in front of her, startled her. Had she been that absorbed in that guy?  
  
"Hi there, I'm Jean. Rogue, is it?" The redhead extended her hand with a genuinely sweet expression on her face.  
  
Rogue recoiled in repulsion. Jean frowned by her response. Rogue felt horrible, she didn't mean to offend her. Just, she didn't like anyone getting very close to her, especially unexpected. She also couldn't risk alerting her to the fact that she was a mutant, so she had to be extra careful.  
  
"Sorry," she replied. "Ahm just a lil' nervous is all." She smiled sheepishly.  
  
Jean's smile returned, "Hey, it's okay. I understand totally. When I was new here, I had problems fitting in too."  
  
Rogue wasn't stupid, she knew her last statement was a lie, but she understood she was just trying to be nice.  
  
"So, um, I was just wondering if you would like to come and sit with me and my friends. I can't imagine it's much fun sitting alone." She jerked her head over towards the table her friends occupied.  
  
Rogue looked too, seeing the blonde guy and Taryn, some of the people who had teased her, just reassured her about her already made decision.  
  
"That's ohkay, really. Ah enjoy some quiet time, and ahm becom'in fond o' this tree here," she patted the trunk behind her. "Thank ya tho'."  
  
Jean looked disappointed and a little hurt by her rejected offer. Before she could say anything else, a hand grabbed her shoulder.  
  
"Hey Jeanie! Who be dis fine mademoiselle y' be associat'in wit?" The boy Rogue had been checking out was now standing adjacent to Jean with a toothy, flirtatious grin.  
  
Jean smiled back at him, "Remy, this is Rogue. Rogue, Remy." She quickly added, "Hey, I'll see you guys later I need to finish prepping Duncan for a test. See you later, Rogue."  
  
"Please'd tah meet y', petite," he cooed as he took her gloved hand in his and kissed it.  
  
She blushed furiously, pulling her hand back as fast as lightening, she hissed, "Don't you evah, EVAH touch meh like that again.!"  
  
She quickly gathered her belongings and tried to make a beeline for the doors, but a hand gripped her wrist.  
  
"Petite, surely y' didn' mean dat jus' now? Especially, not da way y' were blush'in." He added, "Oh, there ya go blush'in again." He grinned at her and stroked her hair.  
  
"Get- get away from me, cajun!" She slapped him hard across the face and ran towards the doors.  
  
He winced and put his own gloved hand to his cheek, "I'm not sure I deserved that. . ."  
  
The rest of the school day had been more or less the same as the morning. She had fifth period with demon boy. He seemed to be the class clown, and he actually made her life. He seemed to take pride in the fact that he could make her laugh. He was really sweet. Though, she figured he had to be. She could imagine having to deal with his appearance would be tough.  
  
Her last class was just unbearable. The teacher had assigned seats in that class, and he had made her sit right next to none other than the over flirtatious boy from lunch. She wanted to hurl. Of course she was also the target of jealous glares and insults from the other girls, partly because of her 'luck' in getting to sit next to him.  
  
She watched the clock the entire class, with the occasional interruption from Remy, whispering one of his lines into her ear, to which she always had some retort like, "Burn in hell."  
  
She was overjoyed when the dismissal bell rang. She walked briskly out of the room before Remy had a chance to say anything to her. She made her way outside to her bike as quickly as possible. A paper wad beamed her right in the cheek as she passed a group of varsity jacket toting football players. She sniffed, fighting back tears, she shot them her trademarked death glare and kept walking, She heard someone call out 'bitch' behind her.  
  
The sky had finally darkened, and Rogue was ashamed of herself. She had been sobbing. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her mascara running. She didn't care anymore; she couldn't help it. She prayed Raven wouldn't be home anytime soon; she needed time to regain her composure. She couldn't let Raven see her like this. She couldn't bear the thought of Raven thinking her as weak and fragile. The only thing she had to look forward to was her sparring session tonight. 


End file.
